


A Place That Could've Been Called Home

by samuelbyrnes



Series: Carving Out A Niche [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alpha Rick Grimes, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Andrea (Walking Dead) Lives, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Male Lactation, Merle Dixon Lives, Minor Andrea/Michonne (Walking Dead), Minor Character Death, Omega Daryl Dixon, Season/Series 03, Season/Series 04, Unreliable Narrator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-17 21:09:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12374121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/samuelbyrnes/pseuds/samuelbyrnes
Summary: Daryl didn't like the prison. It was too dark, too cramped for his comfort, but it was better than moving around from place to place all winter. With a little hard work, maybe they can make something of it, however temporary it may be.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this one got away from me a little (13K+ words and 4 chapters; egads), which is why it took me so long (also, RL being an uppy-downy roller coaster from Hell doesn't help), but I finally got it done, so here we are. If it feels like I'm missing something (i.e. a tag/warning), feel free to let me know.

Daryl didn't like the prison. It was too dark, too cramped for his comfort, but it was better than moving around from place to place with walkers dogging their every move. Clearing the courtyard and the cell block had taken the better part of a few days, but the relief of finally finding a place to settle, however temporary it may be, far outweighed everything else. Unfortunately, that relief was short-lived; Hershel had been bitten on the initial sweep outside their cell block, which lead to the discovery of survivors in the mess hall.

_"What happened to him?" One of the survivors asked._

_"He's been bit," Rick said offhandedly._

_"Bit?" The survivor pulled out a gun and pointed it at Hershel. Immediately, four guns and a crossbow were pointed at him. He sneered. "That shit's a death sentence. Best to put him outta his misery, y'know?"_

_Rick growled. "T, Glenn, hold him down," he said, picking up the axe. He glanced at Hershel, grimacing. "I'm sorry about this."_

Hershel had lost his leg and came far too close to loosing his life in the following days, but he pulled through in the end. They dealt with the survivors, helped them clear out their own cell block, but it had fallen apart rather spectacularly after Rick had been forced to kill their leader. Another had run off, disappearing into the bowels of the prison and coming back with an ill-fated plan to retake the prison, a plan that cost him his life. The stress of it all had caused Lori to go into early labor and ultimately loosing her life to blood loss when Maggie had no choice but to cut her open to get the baby out. They also lost T-Dog in the chaos, sacrificing himself so Carol could escape and hide herself until she could be safely found. 

_"She's gone, Daryl." Glenn tried putting a hand on the Omega's shoulder, but backed off when he snarled. "As much as I hate to say it, we need you for the baby, especially with Rick gone off to crazy-town."_

 _"Went out an' got her formula," Daryl growled, stepping into Glenn's space. "Got her fed and down fer a nap. 'S more than any of you've done fer her."_

He stormed off then, ignoring Glenn's calls for him to wait, that he needed someone to go with him to be safe. He ignored the pull he had to stay behind and care for the infant; she had more than enough people looking out for her, so Daryl wasn't needed. The urge to Nest was a powerful thing, though, and Daryl could only ignore it for so long. He hiked his crossbow a little higher on his back and forced himself to focus on finding his Pack Mate, calling himself a few unsavory names in the process. 

~ 

Several hours later, after getting turned around a few times in the dark halls and dealing with a small troupe of walkers, Daryl finally found Carol. She had managed to barricade herself in a storage closet before her grief and fear forced her into an exhausted slumber. Daryl initially mistook her for a walker and damn near put a knife through her skull, but then she'd opened her eyes and smiled. 

"Knew you'd find me," she murmured, closing her eyes and sighing softly. 

Daryl dropped the knife and lunged for Carol, wrapping himself around her and holding tight, keening softly. Carol huffed softly, curling one shaky arm around Daryl's middle while the other went up by his shoulders, burying her hand in his hair. Daryl arched into her touch, rumbling softly. They sat like that for a while, soaking in one another's scent, reaffirming the Pack Bond, Carol gently petting Daryl's hair while Daryl purred softly. They must have drifted off at some point because the next thing Daryl knew was the sudden banging on the door and the snarl of walkers. He and Carol startle awake, confused for a brief moment before realizing the potential danger and practically springing apart, both going for their knives. They share a look before dealing with the walkers, staring down at the bodies once they're done. 

"Should get back to the group," Daryl says, putting his knife away and rolling his shoulders. "Gotta introduce ya to the newest member." 

Carol's eyes light up. "Lori had the baby?" she asks softly. 

Daryl grimaces, but nods. "Little girl," he replies, looking up at Carol. "Lori didn't make it." 

Carol gasps, hand going to her mouth. Daryl takes her free hand and gently tugs, leading her back to the way he came, back to the Pack. 

~ 

There's a sound echoing off the walls of the prison, almost like a cat purring. A really big cat, which is just plain ridiculous since there are no big cats in the area, but it pays to be cautious. Carol tries tracing the sound and gets herself turned around a few times before finally finding the source. In the farthest cell, she finds Daryl curled up in a veritable nest of blankets, linens, and spare bits of clothing. 

_Well, that's where all the linens ran off to_ , Carol thinks. 

This close, the purring is almost painful to the Beta's ears, but she creeps closer, her curiosity piqued. She takes a step into the cell and the purring cuts off abruptly, the sudden silence making the Beta's ears ring just a little. There's a tacky-bitter smell in the air, a cloying stench of ' _threat-warning-away_ ' that practically sticks to the walls and Carol. The Beta steps out the cell, the smell following her out, as if trying to push her away. The sudden sound of a baby whimpering makes Carol jump and look back into the cell. She watches Daryl shift around, watches him move the blankets around to make a comfortable leaning spot against the wall before picking up a small bundle. He looks up suddenly and freezes when he sees Carol in the doorway of the cell. Carol tries for a reassuring smile and Daryl rumbles at her, making her frown and put a hand on her hip. 

"Really?" The Beta tilts her head. "You know I'm not a threat, so quit with the posturing." 

Daryl flushes and ducks his head, mumbling an apology. The Beta sighs and shakes her head, stepping back into the cell and ignoring the resurgence of the tacky-bitter smell. She ignores the warning rumbles, too, and sits herself at the edge of the Nest. 

"It's a nice set-up you got here," she says without any preamble. "I was wondering where all the spare linens ran off to and now I know." The Beta pins the Omega with a look. "Would've been nice to know before they all vanished." 

Daryl looks away, clutching the bundle a little closer. The bundle lets out a whine and Daryl's attention is immediately on it, head cocked to the side. Carol has a feeling she knows what, or more accurately, who, is in the bundle and is likely the very thing that's been driving Daryl's erratic attitude. She'd been suspecting it ever since she saw him stealing bits and pieces from various members of the Pack and squirreling them away in his cell. She was almost positive she knew what was going on when the baby started crying at all hours, refusing to let anyone hold and feed her and Daryl had all but vanished for almost a week. 

All that happened around a month and a half ago. In that time, the baby had gone from a squalling, nightmarish terror to a happy, squirmy bundle of joy. She was finally packing on some weight and had decided to start sleeping through the night most of the time, which was a relief for everyone. Daryl was still ghosting around, but everyone figured he was having one of his Things and left him alone. 

Carol shook her head of the memories, focusing back to the present. She looks over at Daryl and smiles. 

"That's one hell of a nesting instinct you've got there, Daryl," Carol says, scooting closer and settling down. 

"Shut up," Daryl murmurs, face flushed and holding the baby close. "Wasn't sure what I was doin' at first. Was all kinds-a weird shit goin' on in m'head." 

"This the first time you've felt it?" Carol asks, carefully prying. 

Daryl shrugged. "Guess so," he replies softly, peering at Carol before settling himself next to her. "Never had a reason before, y'know?" 

Carol nods and brings a hand up to gently card through Daryl's hair. The Omega tenses briefly before relaxing, leaning against the Beta and purring softly and Carol honestly can't help herself. 

"You know I thought there was a tiger in here at first?" She huffs softly when Daryl growls and gently tugs at his hair. "Stop that, I was joking; mostly." She grins and scratches lightly at his scalp. 

Daryl practically melts against Carol, eyes fluttering and purr starting up again. He ignores her soft laughter at his antics and peers down at the baby. She's squirming around, making little distressed noises and he knows exactly what she wants, but he's not sure he wants Carol to watch. However, the Beta did invade his Nest and he's pretty sure she knows what goes on in a Nest; plus, he had a feeling she figured out what was going on already, so he was basically agonizing over nothing. So, with deft fingers and a flush staining his cheeks a dark red, Daryl unbuttoned his shirt and shifted the fabric aside, wafting a milky-sweet scent into the air. He heard Carol inhale sharply seconds before the baby made excited cooing sounds, waving her little arms around and blinking up at Daryl. Daryl gave the baby a small smile and brought her close, cringing a bit when she greedily latched onto him and started sucking. 

"Feels weird, don't it?" Carol asked, carding her fingers through his hair again. 

"Weirdest fucking feeling," Daryl agreed, pushing his head into her hand. "'M probably never gonna get used to it." 

"You never know, it might be different with one of your own," Carol said lightly. 

Daryl snorted softly. "Ain't nobody gonna wanna Mate with me," he said. "'M just a convenient place to put a Knot; _fuck_!" He jerked his head and glared at Carol. "The fuck was that for?" 

"For putting yourself down, that's what," Carol snapped, matching his glare. "Anybody would be lucky to be with you, Daryl; _not_ in the way Shane made it out to be, and you know that." She waited for him to settle down again before sighing and dropping her hand on his head, scratching gently. "You seem to be under this impression that you don't do anything for us, but the reality is that you do so much and you never ask for anything in return." She tapped his head lightly. "You're basically saving Lil' Ass-Kicker from starving, that's certainly more than anything anyone else would do." 

Daryl hummed, not really paying attention. He blinked sleepily at the baby, who blinked back at him curiously. He started purring and she tried purring back, but it was weak and garbled since she was still eating and resulted in some milk dribbling out. He huffed in amusement, grabbing a cloth and wiping her down. She gurgled again, which meant more milk spilled, which meant Daryl just gave up feeding her and gently rubbed her down, preening when she started giggling and grabbing for the cloth. He purred at her and she warbled back, kicking her legs happily. 

"Please, stop. I'm getting cavities over here." 

Daryl looked at her, squinting at her deadpan stare. The baby gave a warbling grunt, as if affronted Daryl wasn't paying attention to her and Carol's lips quirked. Daryl gave her a sniff and returned his attention to the baby, who gave a gummy approximation of a smile and warbled at him. The Omega leaned close and touched noses with the baby, purring softly while the baby cooed. He then brought his nose down to the baby's cheek, inhaling lightly before letting his head dip to rub their cheeks together. He winced and moved back when the baby brought an arm up and whacked him in the face open-handed, almost nailing him in the eye. The Omega took the baby's hand and growled softly. 

"Stop that." 

The baby's eyes instantly watered up, a tiny whine coming out of her. Daryl sighed and rubbed his cheek over her wrist, humming softly. She immediately stopped whining and looked up at him with wide eyes. He rubbed his cheek over her wrist again and huffed. 

"Ain't mad at ya, y'know that." He gently swayed her hand back and forth. "But no ass-kickin' fer ya until yer older, an' no beatin' up yer food. 'S bad manners." 

Daryl heard a badly restrained snort of laughter from Carol and looked up at her, lips quirking up when he saw her red-faced and snickering into her hand. She saw him looking at her and burst into uncontrolled giggling, waving her hand absently. 

"I'm sorry!" She gasped, trying to stifle her giggles and failing. "I just, I can't help it. It's just too much." She dissolved back into giggles, but it seemed she was actively trying to stop this time. 

Daryl watched her, absently swaying the baby's hand back and forth. The Beta inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, wiping at her eyes before looking at Daryl with a wide smile. 

"Y'done?" Daryl asked her. 

"Yeah. Sorry." Carol's face turned sheepish, a light flush staining her cheeks. "I didn't mean to laugh at you. Guess I needed a bit of levity and you two are just too adorable that I couldn't help myself." 

Daryl scowled. "Ain't cute," he mumbled, looking back down at the baby and watching her yawn widely. "She might be, though." 

"Totally cute, Pookie," Carol assured firmly, "but it's OK. I won't tell anyone." 

"Better not." 

"Promise." 

~ 

Over time, it appeared that everyone knew what was going on with Daryl. A week after Carol discovered him with the baby, Carl had come up to him and asked upfront if he was feeding his sister. 

_"The fuck's it matter to you, kid?"_

_"Wanted to thank you, actually." Carl squirmed in place under Daryl's scowl. "She probably wouldn't be here without you." He peeks up at Daryl, then down at his feet._

_Daryl knew the kid wanted to say something else, but it clearly wouldn't come out._

_"Spit it out already."_

_Carl's head shot up, a flush staining his cheeks. He ducked his head and mumbled something before practically running away. Daryl watched him go with a frown, but shrugged, figuring the kid would let him know what was going on sooner or later._

Three nights later, Daryl had woken up when he felt someone enter his Nest. He was immediately on his feet and on top of the intruder, knife in hand and snarling fiercely before it really registered who had intruded. The overwhelming stink of terror and panic tickled Daryl's nose, but he recognized Carl's scent underneath, scrambling off the young Alpha when he realized what he'd almost done. He closed his eyes, tamping down the last vestiges of Rage before opening his eyes again, scowling at Carl's shivering form. 

"Y'got a death wish, kid?" he rasped. 

"Wasn't thinking," Carl responded, pulling himself into a sitting position and hugging his knees. "Sorry." 

Daryl sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "The hell y'doin' here anyway?" he asks. 

"Couldn't sleep." 

"Y'couldn't have gone to someone else?" 

Carl flushes and ducks his head, mumbling something into his knees. Daryl has an idea as to why Carl came to him and though it's not something he wants to really think about, it's not like the kid can help his instincts. If it were any other time, Daryl would let the kid squirm until he finally said it, but it's late and Daryl just wants to go back to bed. The Omega heaves another sigh and stands, not looking at Carl as he crawls back into bed, tugging a blanket over himself before finally looking at the young Alpha. It takes a minute or two, but Carl's eyes light up in relief despite the embarrassed flush still staining his cheeks, shucking his shoes and climbing in bed beside Daryl. There's a happy sort of rumbling sound coming from the kid's throat as he practically glues himself to Daryl, his skinny arms wrapping around the Omega's middle, legs curling but not tangling with Daryl's, his nose pressed up against Daryl's clavicle. Daryl grunts softly, wrapping his arms around the kid, lightly brushing his nose over the hair tickling it. Carl hums softly, mumbling a soft " _thank you_ " before drifting off into sleep. Daryl watches him sleep for a while before he, too, falls back to sleep. 

~ 

It becomes a habit of a sort and Daryl almost wants to hate the kid for it, but they're both sleeping better than before, so he keeps his mouth shut. The only one who doesn't seem to be sleeping at all is Rick, who's still mostly ghosting around and not saying much to anyone. Hershel had tried talking to the Pack Alpha, maybe knock some sense into him, but has so far been unsuccessful. Any time the Alpha sets sight on the baby - aptly named Judith by Carl one day - he goes pale and vanishes for several hours, coming back only when she's fast asleep. He couldn't even muster proper Rage when he caught Carl coming out of Daryl's cell one morning; sleepy, but happy and smelling a mix of himself and the Omega. He cornered Daryl when he appeared, an unhappy rumble rattling in his chest. 

_"What're you doin' with m'kid?"_

_"Ain't doin' nothin'." Daryl puffed up, hackles raised. "Kid's grievin' just as you and without his Daddy to comfort and grieve with, he went with the next best option."_

_Rick deflates, guilt flooding him. "I didn't know," he mumbles._

_"Yeah, well;" Daryl rolls his shoulders; "he prob'bly only came to me 'cause o' Judith."_

_Rick blinks, confused. He watches a dark flush creep over Daryl's cheeks, embarrassment coming off of him in waves when it hits him. Without really thinking about it, Rick leans forward and buries his nose in Daryl's neck, inhaling deeply. He jerks back when Daryl growls, backing up out of his space entirely despite his brain saying he should be close to the Omega. He looks at Daryl before turning and walking off, leaving Daryl to stare at his retreating back. Daryl huffs and shakes his head._

_"Alphas."_

After that, Rick seemed to be taking an active role in trying to be around more. He sits down and listens to Hershel's counsel rather than mumbling bullshit or simply walking off. He doesn't run off anymore when he sees Judith, though the acrid stench of fear-anxiety rolls off him and freezes him in place, face pale. Beth sidles up to him one day, cradling Judith in her arms, tentative and hopeful. 

_"Y'wanna hold her?"_

_Rick swallows thickly, looking down at the baby, then back up at Beth. Beth has a small smile on her lips, trying to appear unremarkable, but the anxiousness of her scent gives her away. She gently bounces Judith, who was starting to fuss with all the unhappy smells around her. Rick swallows again and cautiously reaches out, laying his hand over Judith's head, exhaling shakily. Judith makes an inquiring sound, moving her head under Rick's hand and makes the sound again, louder this time. It hits Rick then that Judith has no idea who he really is, his smell and warmth unfamiliar to her. Guilt suffuses through him and he reaches out his other hand, allowing Beth to adjust him before placing Judith in his arms and backing away a bit, her smile bigger. She's smaller, but heavier than he imagined and he can't help the smile that reaches his lips, glancing around until he sees Daryl, shaking his head a little when their eyes meet. He watches Daryl flush and look away before turning his attention to his daughter. She blinks up at him, feet wriggling around under the blanket confining her. He rumbles softly, bowing his head so he can brush his nose over her cheek, inhaling her scent. There's almost no trace of Lori in Judith and a part of Rick mourns that, but he takes solace in the others surrounding her, a sign that she's well-cared for. He rejoices when he doesn't smell Shane either, some part of him preening in satisfaction at that. He lifts her a little, brushing his cheek over hers, laughing lightly when she giggles at the feel of his beard. He's grateful that she hasn't rejected him, but that could just be down to her age and the fact that everyone smells at least a little like him. He jerks his head back when a tiny hand comes up to hit his head, staring down at Judith, who gives him a gummy smile and waves her hand._

_"What'd I say about ass-kickin'?"_

_Rick startles, tightening his hold on Judith, who lets out a protesting whine. He growls at Daryl, who suddenly appears too close for Rick's comfort. Daryl puts his hands up, tilting his head slightly as he lets out a rumble. The Omega's scent fills his nostrils, relaxing him before he realizes what's going on. Judith coos as he relaxes his hold, bringing his attention back to her, a smile tugging at his lips. He feels Daryl come closer, humming softly when the Omega gently bumps their foreheads together, their scents mingling together and causing Judith to let out another coo._

Things got better after that, the underlying tension slowly draining now that Rick was making an effort to be more present and active in what was going on, retaking the title of Pack Alpha after Hershel deemed it safe enough. It wasn't exactly a surprise when he started making clumsy efforts to Court Daryl, much to Daryl's embarrassment. He backed off gracefully, if a little frustratingly, when the Omega took him aside one day to let him down gently. 

_"Y'don't gotta keep doin' this," Daryl said, face flushed and looking anywhere but at Rick. "Jus' cuz I'm carin' fer Judith and helpin' Carl don't mean we gotta make it official." He backed up a few steps when Rick stepped forward, hurt oozing off him._

_"Y'think that's the only reason I'm Courtin' you?" Rick asks, trying and failing to keep the frustration out of his voice. He took a steadying breath before continuing. "It certainly helped, but I've been tryin' since the farm to get yer attention." He smiled when Daryl gave him a dubious look. "I know. Clearly, I didn't know what I was doin' then an' I'm not sure I know what I'm doin' now."_

_"Pfft." Daryl huffed, crossing his arms loosely over his chest, pointedly ignoring Rick's sudden interest. "I 'preciate it, but I ain't lookin' fer a Mate." He glanced at Rick, trying for a smile and probably ending up on a grimace. "'Sides, yer more like m'brother. Would seem weird, y'know?"_

_"Fair," Rick said, nodding. "I can't say if I can stop completely, but I will try."_

_"That's all y'can ever do," Daryl says with an actual smile on his lips this time._

Daryl still got random gifts from time to time, but the expectation to reciprocate or reject was gone and he breathed a little sigh of relief each time he found something new on his bed. Carol had teased him endlessly over it, even getting Carl in on it, but he couldn't muster enough anger to really snap at them and simply let them have their fun, even if it was at his expense. 

"It's because we love you, Pookie," Carol told him one day. "Keep you on your toes, so to speak." 

Daryl huffed, gently bouncing Judith in his lap. "Got enough shit to do that for me," he says. 

"Oh?" Carol raises her brows almost comically. "Like what?" 

"Gotta keep this place safe, don't I?" Daryl growls, holding Judith close when she starts whining. "Keep y'all fed, too." 

"And we all appreciate that, more than you know," Carol tells him with a soft sigh, "but we're safe here, secure. Nothing's going to happen, so maybe try to let your guard down just a little bit?" 

Daryl huffs and doesn't answer, especially since he knows it's only a matter of time before something inevitably goes wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

Daryl was watching over Judith when a strange smell invaded his senses seconds before the entry door opened with a forceful bang. He sat up straighter when Rick came in, half-carrying an unknown, unconscious woman and a basket of baby formula. He eased her down to the floor, dropping the basket near Daryl before going and shutting the door. Daryl handed Judith off to Beth before he stood and made his way to Rick, rumbling softly and hackles raised. Rick turned to him, hands raised and head tilted.

"Safe to assume she had contact with Glenn an' Maggie," he said quickly. "Saw her out by the fence with the basket, smelling like she had some kinda contact with 'em." He glances up at Daryl briefly. "Walkers figured out she wasn't one o' them an' went after her, passed out before she could deal with 'em." 

"Why not just leave 'er?" Daryl rumbles, scowling at the prone form. "Hell, Judy ain't gonna wanna eat that shit, so why bother?" 

"She might have information," Ricks replies simply, taking a tentative step towards Daryl. "If somethin' happened to Glenn an' Maggie, we need to know, 'specially since she came back with just the basket." He steps in front of Daryl, blocking the Omega's view of the woman. "She also has a gunshot wound. Figured we could know who else is out there before they come knockin'." 

Daryl's quiet for a minute or two before huffing softly. "Alright, fine," he rumbles, looking at Rick, "but I wanna be there when y'question her." 

"Of course," Rick says immediately, giving Daryl a soft smile, hand reaching up to cup the Omega's face. "Wouldn't have it any other way." 

Daryl huffed again, rubbing his cheek over Rick's hand before turning and gently taking Judith from Beth, sitting himself as far from the woman as possible while still keeping an eye on her. 

~ 

The woman had eventually woken up and immediately went tense, throwing off _threat-warning-fear_ to anyone who tried to get close to her. Rick's hands shot up instantly, slowly backing away from where he was tending her wound, radiating _calm-help-not a threat_. He nudged Daryl lightly, a subtle warning that he was projecting _mine-territory_ a little too much. Daryl rumbled softly, brushing his shoulder with Rick's, tilting his head a little. Rick rumbled back, lifting his chin slightly, putting his hands on his hips. Hershel managed to nudge the both of them as he crutched past them, settling himself down on the bench near the woman, giving her a gentle smile when she struggled to sit up. 

"Don't mind them over much," he told her. "Just a minor disagreement, right boys?" He directed the question to Rick and Daryl. 

Rick bowed his head with a shrug. Daryl crossed his arms and rolled his shoulders. She watched them before turning her attention back to Hershel, the question clear. Hershel hummed. 

"Seems Rick found you at the gates with a basket of baby formula." He tilted his head toward the basket sitting on a table. "We're all curious as to why you're here." 

She was quiet for a while, eyes darting restlessly around, nostrils flaring as if trying to catalogue everything. Finally, she inhaled deeply and looked back to Hershel, jaw clenched. 

"Saw a couple Alphas drop the basket," she murmured. "Talked about a prison before they got snatched by the bastard that shot me." 

Rick stepped forward, anger clouding him, but backed off quickly enough when he noticed the woman flinch. Hershel gave him a look, then turned back to the woman. 

"Do you know where they went?" he asked. 

"There's a town not far from here," she replied. "Place called Woodbury." A scowl crosses her face at that, letting her own anger out. "It's run by this guy that calls himself the Governor." 

"Can you show us where?" Rick butts in, trying to reign in his anger, his need/want to get his Packmates back. 

"She needs rest," Hershel says before she can reply. "Should probably finish dressing that wound, too; d'you mind?" 

She stares at Hershel for several minutes before giving a short, sharp nod. Hershel gives her a kind smile, swinging his stump over the bench, creating space for her to cautiously scoot closer. He bends to grab the first aid kit, handing it to the woman to hold while he tends to her, pausing when she flinches at his touch. 

"My name's Hershel," he says, trying to ease the sudden tension in the room. "Designated Pack Elder. Those two silently squabbling are Rick and Daryl, Pack Alpha and Omega." 

She stares at Rick and Daryl, head tilted. "Mates?" she asks quietly. 

Hershel chuckles softly. "Not quite," he replies, taking some gauze from the box and laying it over the wound, taping it down quickly. "They sure smell and act like it, but there's nothing going on between them." He gently pats the woman's leg, bringing her full attention to him. "I never got your name." 

"Michonne," she says, mouth twisting in a grimace. "Don't have a Pack. Not anymore." 

"Been out there a while?" Hershel asks. 

Michonne bobs her head from side to side. "About a year," she replies. "Was alone in the beginning, found someone, lost someone..." She ducks her head then, scent spiking in distress. 

"I'm sorry," Hershel murmurs, squeezing her leg when she shakes her head. "You can stay here if you like, become part of the Pack or leave whenever you're ready." He shoots a look over to Rick and Daryl when he hears one of them inhale sharply. 

Michonne glances over at the pair. "I'll show you where your Packmates are," she says softly. "I'll leave as soon as I'm able after that." 

"You sure that's safe?" Hershel asks gently, trying to diffuse the sudden tension. "Wandering around out there on your own? Could be dangerous." 

"Been doing it since this all started," Michonne sniped back at him, scowling. "I'll be fine." 

"But then you found someone, became a Pack," Hershel said, brow furrowed. "You lost your Packmate, too soon if I'm understandin' right. I'm honestly not sure it's wise to let you leave so soon after loosing a Packmate." 

"Not like I'm being given a choice," Michonne mutters, staring at the floor. 

"You do have a choice," Hershel says, gently jostling her leg. "As Pack Elder, I have the final word to keep or oust someone from the Pack or Pack territory." He gave her a genial little smile when she peeked up at him. "I'm tellin' you now, you're free to stay as little or as long as you like." 

They both flinched when the bitter smell of disapproval wafted over, accompanied by a low rumble. Hershel turned to see a dark look come over Daryl's face before he turned and left the area, closing the bar door with care despite his mood. Hershel turned to Rick, both brows raised and Rick shrugged, stepping forward and crouching down near the pair, giving Michonne a little smile. 

"Don't mind Daryl," he says. "We recently had a new addition and he's been a little overprotective since." He pauses and licks his lips. "I also apologize for how I acted; Hershel's right. We'll set you up a bed and let you get settled, alright?" 

Michonne stares at Rick for a while, quietly assessing. She looks between the two before finally nodding slowly, letting her posture relax a little. Rick smiles again and stands, helping Hershel up, holding on while the man gets his crutches. Hershel straightens and cups Rick's cheek, smiling approvingly. Rick hums and rubs his cheek over the Elder's hand, accepting. 

"I'll get Beth to set up a room," he says, face twisting into a grimace. "I'll go talk to Daryl, try and get him settled down." 

"Talk to Carol first," Hershel says, dropping his hand to his crutch. "He might take it wrong if it's just you." 

"Probably," Rick says with a chuckle, then turning to Michonne. "Even if you decide to leave, I'd like to welcome you informally to the Pack." 

He blinks when she lifts a wrist to him, then reaches out, rubbing his wrist with hers, gently grasping her arm when she does. They shake and let go, nodding to each other. With the Informal Bond established, Rick feels comfortable leaving her alone with Hershel and goes looking for his wayward Packmate. 

~ 

Three days later, they're at the gates of Woodbury, more than ready to storm in through the front door and get their Packmates back, but Michonne manages to convince them to sneak in. 

"I know a way we can get in and out without being seen," she says, staring at all of them in turn. "We can get in and out without causing a riot." 

Rick stares at her, jaw working. "Fine," he finally says, "but we will fight if we need to." 

Michonne nods and leads the way, showing them the most likely place Glenn and Maggie were being held before silently peeling off. Daryl watched her go, eyes narrow before being distracted by the smell of his Packmates; hurt, but relatively unharmed. They all embrace tightly, murmuring and rescenting one another, relief palpable in the air that's quickly soured when Glenn turns to Daryl with a grimace. 

"Merle's alive," he says, leaning into the nearest person for support. "He's here and he did this to us." 

Daryl freezes, nostrils flaring. "You sure?" he rasps. 

"Think I would recognize the bastard when he's beating the hell out of me," Glenn replies with a frown. 

"I have to find 'im," Daryl says after a pause, turning to leave, growling when his arm's grabbed. "Y'best let me go." 

"We need you here," Rick says. "The Pack needs you." 

"Got enough Pack to get outta here," Daryl shoots back, scowling at Rick. "I gotta find m'brother." 

"Andrea's here, too," Maggie whispers, seemingly trying to diffuse the tension. 

If anything, it makes things worse. With Merle, he wasn't Pack; never was, but now, it was a Packmate and that changed things. Rick inhaled deeply, letting Daryl go slowly and turned to Glenn and Maggie. 

"You two need medical attention," he said. "As much as I hate to say it, your safety is my priority right now. We can come back for her another time." 

"You sure about that?" Glenn asks. 

"No," Rick replies immediately, "but it's what I gotta do." He turns to Daryl. "Can I trust you won't go runnin' off?" 

"Sure," Daryl scoffs, arms crossed, "but when y'come back fer Andrea, I'm comin' with. I ain't leavin' Merle behind again." 

"Thank you," Rick says, gently bumping their foreheads together. 

Daryl huffs softly and pulls away. "We goin' then?" 

Rick smiles at him and nods, turning to the Pack to make a plan when the sound of voices in the hallway reached their ears. Cursing, Rick handed Maggie a gun, watching Daryl hand Glenn one as well, and clenched his jaw. He glanced around the room at his Pack and nodded, holding his gun up as he lead them out of the room. 

~ 

Someone had thrown a bag over his head, which meant he couldn't see a thing. His hands were also tied behind him, leaving him more or less unable to defend himself. The smells around him were overwhelming, the musty mildew from the bag combining with the anger and lust from the Alphas around him. He'd snapped and snarled, body quaking with rage and a little bit of fear, but the Alphas paid him no mind. One felt so bold as to cop a feel before dragging him into a standing position, one hand gripping at his neck as if trying to forcibly subdue him. He only allowed it since any resistance meant tripping and falling, rumbling low and body tense. He was led to a well-lit, open area, the sudden cacophony of noise and smells causing him to freeze up. The Alpha leading him used his other hand to press at his lower back to get him moving again. He put up a bit of a fight when his nose caught a very familiar smell, a low whine coming from him. He though he heard an answering whine, but it was drowned out by the other noise. He jerked when an Alpha came up and put a hand on his head, smelling smugness and deceit dripping off them. 

"This Omega here," a voice called over the noise, causing things to quiet a little. "He came here to usurp the Pack! To take over and make himself Queen!" The hand pushed down, forcing him to bow his head over the sound of boos and jeers. "He wasn't alone in this venture, no. He had someone else with him to help; one of our very own, no less!" The hand on his head gripped the bag and ripped it off him, momentarily blinding him. "It seems our Merle had a little brother and didn't tell us; rather, he kept him hidden and waited for an opportune time to try to take over the Pack!" 

Daryl briefly looked at the Alpha who was talking, but his attention was Merle, who was staring at Daryl like he'd seen a ghost. Objectively, Daryl knew Merle was alive when Glenn told the Pack, but actually seeing him, breathing in his scent after so long, was a different story and Daryl briefly forgot himself. He whined low in his throat again, taking a halting step towards Merle, but was pushed back, the Alpha speaking sneering at him before looking back at the crowd. 

"Their plans failed and here we are now," he said, putting his hands up for emphasis. "What d'you think we ought to do with them?" 

There were many calls to kill them, to throw them out to the walkers, to make an example out of both of them. The Alpha smiled, letting his hands drop, turning to Daryl, a wicked gleam in his eyes as he leaned in close. 

"If you survive this, you'd make a lovely Mate," he whispered in Daryl's ear, laughing when Daryl growled and jerked back, leaning back himself to address the crowd. "A fight, to the death!" He turned to Merle. "Let's see where your loyalty's really lie!" 

Daryl's hands were untied and he was unceremoniously pushed to the center of the arena, almost crashing into Merle. Merle caught him, a strange look in his eyes as he really took in his brother. Suddenly, he smirked, pushing Daryl back a bit. 

"Just follow my lead, baby brother," he said, right before he punched Daryl. 

They fought and grappled for a bit, too used to fighting one another that they were too evenly matched. It got a little complicated when walkers were introduced, but they were saved from figuring it out when smoke started clouding the area. In an instant, panicked shouts and screams filled the air and Daryl took the opportunity to get his bow back, gripping and tugging the back of Merle's shirt to get him moving. He heard Merle laughing behind him, but he hardly cared, not when he caught sight of his Pack, relief making his shoulders drop. He ran right past them, knowing they would eventually follow, bulldozing his way through anyone that crossed his path. 

~ 

Safely outside the borders of Woodbury and reunited with the rest of the Pack, tensions were running high with no one knowing exactly what to do about Merle. It escalated into shouting that eventually lead to Merle throwing his hands up and sneering at everyone before turning and walking off into the woods. Daryl looked at his retreating back, ruthlessly shoving down the urge to whine, to try and call his brother back. He turned to the Pack, feeling torn. 

"You're really thinking of going after him?" Glenn asked him incredulously. 

"He's my brother," Daryl replied simply, picking up his bag and bow. "I can't leave 'im again." 

"You'd be leaving us behind, then," Rick said. "You'd be leaving Judy behind." 

Daryl bounced in place briefly. "I'll be back," he said, scowling at everyone. "With Merle, an' if anyone's got a problem, y'can fuckin' deal with it." 

He turned and stalked off, ignoring Rick's calls to bring him back and Glenn's frustration. He let his nose guide him to his brother, easily catching up to him and falling into step next to him. Merle shot him a grin, a pleased purr rumbling out of him. Daryl scowled at him. 

"Don't feel so smug," he huffed. "I ain't stayin' out here." 

"Gonna try an' convince me to go with 'em?" Merle asked, scoffing. "Ain't gonna happen, baby brother, an' y'know it." 

"If y'weren't a douchebag, it wouldn't be a problem," Daryl shot back. 

He jerked when Merle turned to him and grabbed his arm tight, leering at him. 

"I'm thinkin' there's another reason why y'won't leave 'em," Merle said. "Why yer so damn hard on goin' back." He leaned forward a little and inhaled, huffing. "Got that milky-sweet smell all over ya. Y'been Bitched, bro." 

"Ain't nobody's Bitch," Daryl bit out, rumbling unhappily when Merle backs him into a tree. 

"Sure as shit smell like one," Merle says flippantly, looking Daryl up and down, zeroing in on his chest. "Fuckin' look like it, too. Do they finally match yer name?" He looks up at Daryl with an ugly leer, his free hand creeping up to press against the Omega's chest, humming as the fabric dampens with a burst of that milky-sweet smell. He lets out a pained yell when Daryl surges forward and bites him, pulling back quickly to miss Daryl's knee in his groin. "Fuck's wrong wit' ya?" 

"The fuck's wrong with you?" Daryl growls, putting some distance between him and Merle, face flushed darkly. "Fuckin' pervert." He turns and starts walking off. 

"Where th' hell y'goin'?" Merle asks, catching up, but keeping his distance. 

"I'm going home," Daryl replies, growling when Merle gets too close. 

Merle backs off some, hands up. "Y'know they ain't gonna want me there, right?" 

"Startin' to think I don't want you there, either," Daryl says, scowling at Merle. 

"Just cuz I got a little fresh wit' you?" Merle asks, laughing. "I was only kiddin' around." 

Rather than say anything, Daryl stops and stares at him for a long while before silently turning and walking off, Merle eventually following him with minimal complaining. They're less than a mile out from the prison when the air's suddenly filled with the sounds of gunfire, the scent of distress and anger clouding the air when the high fences come into view. Daryl soon spots Rick outside the fence trying to fend off a walker with more shambling over. He hears Merle give a whoop and run forward as he raises his bow and shoots the walker in front of Rick, releasing a breath he wasn't aware he was holding when Rick shoves the corpse away from him. He stares down briefly at the walker, looks up at Daryl, nods, and pulls the arrow out of the dead walker before darting off to get the others. Between the three of them, they carve their way through the courtyard, killing off as many walkers as possible before running to the safety of the prison proper. Maggie and Glenn slam the fence closed behind them, locking it and backing away quickly when walkers push into it, clawing and snarling and reaching for them. They all collectively stare at the walkers, breathing heavy, the air thick with emotion. Eventually, Rick turns to Daryl and Merle, looking between the two before settling on Daryl. 

"Glad to see you back," he says to Daryl, reaching out to cup the Omega's cheek with a small smile. 

"Glad to be back," Daryl murmurs, pressing lightly into Rick's hand before backing off. "What the hell happened here?" 

"The Governor." It comes out as a hiss, lips curling into a sneer. "Barreled through the front fence, dropped off some gifts for us." 

"He's got a bad habit o' doin' that," Merle pipes up. "Probably keep doin' it til all y'all are dead." 

"Why?" Rick asked, confused. 

"Guy's a head case," Merle replied blithely with a shrug. "Got it in his head this whole area's his an' anyone intrudin' on it gotta go one way or another." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Far as I'm concerned, he ain't got shit." 

"So why you followin' 'im?" Daryl asks, turning to Merle with scowl. 

"Self-preservation, baby brother," Merle replied. "You wiggle your way into one Pack, I wiggle my way into another, though it seems one o' us got the better bargain." He looks around in a slightly exaggerated manner. "'S a nice place y'got. 'M not surprised the Gov wants it." 

"He ain't gettin' it," Rick growls. 

"Save yer territorial posturin' fer someone who gives a shit," Merle snaps, frowning. "I ain't lookin' fer a fight wit' any o' you." 

"Why are you here, then?" Glenn asked, stepping up next to Rick, fingers tight around a gun. 

"Got ousted from Woodbury," Merle replies with a little shrug. "Wouldn't mind a place to stay for a while." 

"You stay here, you play by my rules," Rick says. 

"None of the bullshit you pulled at the quarry," Glenn puts in. 

"Can't make no promises," Merle says, lifting his hand and stump slightly, grinning, "but if it means I got a bed an' food, guessin' I can be on m'best behavior." 

Rick stares at him before he nods once and brings up his hand, palm up and fingers relaxed. Merle sneers at it, but he lowers his hand, tapping the other Alpha's hand lightly before gripping his lower arm, Rick doing the same. They rub wrists long enough for the Informal Bond to be placed and Merle snatches his hand back with an unhappy grumble. He looks at Rick, bobs his head to the side in silent thanks, and turns to Daryl. 

"Know where a guy can get a bunk 'round here?" he asks his brother. 

Rather than answer, Daryl simply walks off, pushing his way past the gathered group before he stops and turns to Rick, head tilted. 

"Whatever happened to that Switch?" he asks. 

"Took off when we got into Woodbury," Rick replies with a shrug. "She never came back an' I wasn't about to wait when I had Pack to care for." 

"Y'gonna let her back in if she comes knockin'?" 

"If she's got a good reason and she's alone, yes." 

Daryl hums softly and turns, walking off towards the entry way, Merle following soon after. Briefly, Merle stops and half-turns, giving Rick a small smile. 

"I really do appreciate y'lettin' me stay, Officer Friendly," he says before turning back and trotting after his brother, giving the Omega a grin when he reaches him. "Just givin' my thanks to yer Alpha. Figured it was the nice thing t'do." 

Daryl grunts and leads Merle into the prison, letting the door shut with a clang, wondering what exactly they're going to do about the Alpha from Woodbury.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of an interlude chapter. I'm not too thrilled with this chapter, mostly because of the action sequence, but it is what it is. *shrug*

Michonne had peeled off from the group she lead to Woodbury, confident enough that they could handle themselves and thus, didn't need her anymore. Even if they did need her, they would've been out of luck; she had her own reason for coming back and nothing would stop her from achieving her goal. She slunk through the shadows, paying careful attention to her surroundings, letting her nose guide her through the town and to her destination.

~ 

Getting into the Governor's quarters was easier than she thought it'd be, the lock giving easily as she forced her way in. Inside was dark; he wasn't here, which was frustrating, but it gave her time to look around more and retrieve her sword. Something within her relaxed as she held her weapon in her hands and she breathed a soft sigh, dropping into the nearest chair. She closed her eyes and breathed deep, relaxing further and briefly forgetting where she was, that her safety was compromised. So, it came as a complete surprise when something thumped against the door next to the bookshelf, causing Michonne to almost startle herself off the chair. She was up with her sword out instantly, senses on high alert, eyes darting around. She jumped and twisted when the thump came again, pointing her sword at the door, panic flooding her senses. Slowly, she lowered her sword, more curious now as she studied the door, trying the knob and finding it locked. She sheathed her sword and dug around, finding a letter opener and forcing the lock, freezing with eyes wide when she saw what was behind the door. 

Fish tanks lined one wall, filled with water and decapitated heads, all in various stages of decomposition. Michonne's jaw dropped open as she stared at the wall, horror washing over her. She jumped and spun her head when another thump came, tilting her head when she saw a cage door embedded in the wall. Was someone locked in there? 

Cautiously, she made her way over, unlocking the door and opening it, gasping in shock when a little girl shuffled over with a bag over her head and her arms tied. She quickly crouched down, cooing and murmuring softly, taking the girl in her arms, reaching for the bag before her senses kicked into high alert. She took the bag off and almost screamed, pushing the child away and scrambling back. The walker child snarled and came after Michonne, jerking back when the chain around her neck reached full-length. Michonne stared at the walker child, snapping and snarling at her, fear and sympathy warring within her. Finally, she clenched her jaw and unsheathed her sword, moving quickly behind the walker child and holding her still, inhaling deeply in preparation for what she was about to do. 

She was just about to put her sword into the walker child's head when the Governor ran in, eyes wide. 

"No!" 

Michonne stared at him, frowning, confused. The Governor inched inside the room, tears filling his eyes, one hand raised up, placating. 

"Please, don't hurt my little girl." 

Michonne sneered at him and drove her sword into the walker child's skull and the Governor screamed, launching himself at Michonne. She grunted and dropped her sword as the full weight of the Alpha dropped on her, his hands going around her neck as she bucked wildly under him. She swung her fists up, catching the Governor in the cheek and rolling them over as the move seemed to catch him off guard. She got off him and tried to reach her sword when he grabbed her from behind and threw her into the wall of tanks, shattering the glass. Water spilled down over her, fingers gripping tight to the edges of the tanks as he pulled her away, the tanks following and spilling everywhere; glass and walkers heads littering the ground. The Governor got the upper hand again when he threw Michonne onto the floor, causing her to bang her head and spots to dance in her vision. He got on top of her and wrapped his hands around her neck again, murder in his eyes. 

She was going to die here. She figured it was a possibility, but she'd hoped it wasn't going to happen. With the Governor sitting on top of her, his hands strangling her neck, she saw her chances of survival dwindling away even as she desperately scrambled for something, _anything_ to strike him with. Her fingers brushed a large piece of glass, slipping over the slick surface several times before she was finally able to grasp it. She held it tight, a gasping hiss coming from her as the edges bit into her skin as she swung up, embedding the thing into the Governor's eye. He released her immediately, howling in pain, fingers reaching up to try and dislodge the fragments, but only causing himself more pain. Michonne rolled away, coughing and gasping, trying to suck in deep lungfuls of air and only coughing harder. She finally forced herself up, retrieving her sword, leveling it at the man as she turned to face him. 

"NO!" 

Michonne whirled around, pointing her sword at the newcomer and almost dropping it when she saw it was Andrea. Andrea was staring at her, eyes wide with fright, holding a gun level with Michonne's chest. Michonne lowered her sword, Andrea mimicking her with the gun, both silent as they stared at one another. 

"Why?" Michonne eventually asked softly. 

Andrea looked over Michonne at the Governor, who didn't seem to realize anything else was going on outside his world of pain and grief, cradling the corpse of his daughter while he wept. She looked back at Michonne, a crestfallen look on her face. 

"We don't have to kill him," she answered. "We can figure out something, an agreement of sorts so nobody has to die." 

"You think he's going to let me live after this?" Michonne asked. "That he's going to let the group in the prison live?" 

"Honestly?" Andrea's mouth twisted unhappily. "No, but I think we have to try." She looked at Michonne, lips quirking into a small smile. "If it doesn't work out, then you can kill him. Fair?" She held a hand out, palm up. 

Michonne looked down at Andrea's hand, then back up at her face before slowly reaching her own hand out to gently twine their fingers together, nodding lightly. Andrea's smile widened and tugged Michonne towards her, wrapping her arms around the Switch and burying her nose in her neck, sighing softly. Michonne reciprocated, dropping her head a little heavily onto Andrea's shoulder, huffing when Andrea let out an exaggerated sound of pain. 

"This doesn't mean I've forgiven you completely," Michonne mumbled, tightening her arms around the Alpha briefly. 

"Of course not," Andrea agreed readily, voice muffled by Michonne's neck. "I wouldn't expect any different." 

Michonne hummed and pulled away, looking around with a frown. "We should get out of here," she said, sparing a glance behind her. "Should probably let his people know he's hurt, where he is." 

"I'll take care of it," Andrea said, matching the scowl Michonne shot her. "They don't know you're back; hell, they'll assume you're part of the group that came here to attack this place and drag you in for questioning. That's not something I want happening and I'm sure you don't either." She cocked her head slightly. "I got this. Go make your daring escape. I'll follow when I can." 

"You better," Michonne rumbled, crowding in close to Andrea and brushing their cheeks together briefly before gently shoving the Alpha away and quickly escaping out of the Governor's quarters, Andrea's soft laughter following her. 

~ 

Michonne waited behind a house for what felt like too long when Andrea's scent reached her nose, catching sight of her seconds later. Slowly, so as to not startle the Alpha, the Switch stood straight and cleared her throat, lips quirking when Andrea jumped. 

"Took you long enough," Michonne said, walking up to Andrea. 

"Had to get some things," Andrea said, indicating the bag on her back. "I also had to convince Milton that we need the two Packs to talk, to try and work something out. He didn't seem too happy, but he agreed that something needs to be done with the Governor." Her lips twisted a little. "He told me that he'll try to talk to him, but he can't guarantee anything." 

"How will we know if he'll talk?" Michonne asked. 

Andrea ducked her head, flushing. "I...might have said I'd be back in a few days," she replied, hunching over a little when Michonne's scent clouded over. "Not inside the walls! Somewhere outside, just me and him. You can come with, but try to not scare him." She gave Michonne a tiny smile. 

"No promises," Michonne murmured. 

Andrea practically beamed at her, the air around them suffused with Happy Alpha. Michonne huffed softly and shook her head, knocking their shoulders together. 

"You want to see the prison?" she asked. 

"You've been there?" Andrea asked, eyes alight with curiosity. 

"Ran into some of their Pack while they were out on a run," Michonne replied with a shrug. "Figured it was important since they dropped some baby formula when they were nabbed." She glances over at Andrea. "Might have gotten myself shot before that by the same guy who took them, so I grabbed the formula and went looking. Their Alpha and Omega didn't seem friendly, but it makes sense, y'know? They had a new addition recently and I was invading their territory to tell them they had Pack members who were nabbed by a different Pack." She shrugs again and looks up at the night sky. "I'm not surprised they were unfriendly." 

Andrea stares at her with a soft smile. "You know, that's probably the most words you've said to me all winter," she says, gently teasing. 

Michonne flushed darkly, dropping her head, feeling embarrassed. Andrea laughs lightly, cupping Michonne's face in her hands and gently forcing eye contact. 

"You know I don't mean it that way," Andrea says softly. "How little or how much you talk doesn't matter, but I'm always thrilled when you speak more than a few words." She bumps their noses together, grinning when Michonne rumbles. "I used to have a Pack member like you. He was a pain in most everyone's ass, but he was a good man. I like to think you two would get along and terrorize the rest of us." 

Michonne hums and pulls away from Andrea, asking, "So, you wanna?" 

Andrea shrugs. "Might a well," she replies. "It's not like we have anywhere else to go." 

"We'd get by," Michonne says. "We did last year." 

"Barely," Andrea huffs, "but I think we should, at least to let them know we're trying to work something out." 

Michonne nods and turns, leading Andrea away from Woodbury and towards the prison. 

~ 

They've trekked through the night, dodging patrols from Woodbury and veering away from roaming herds of walkers when the first watchtower from the prison comes into view. Andrea freezes suddenly and inhales deeply, falling to her knees with a thin whining sound, Michonne crouching in front of her in concern. 

"What's wrong?" Michonne asks, looking around them for any sign of danger. 

Andrea huffs a few breaths, blinking rapidly, then looks at Michonne, her eyes wet. 

"Did you know?" she asks. 

"Know what?" Michonne asks back. 

Andrea blinks again, not answering; instead, she stands, taking Michonne's hand in hers tightly, staring at the visible watchtower. Michonne's confusion is palpable, but Andrea shakes her head at the Switch and starts marching forward, tugging Michonne along. They walk through the ruined front gate, dodging or killing walkers in their path, walking right up to the second gate before stopping. Andrea's eyes light up when she sees who's behind the gate, a happy rumbling sound coming out of her. The person drops their weapon in shock, looking between Andrea and Michonne, stepping forward. 

"Andrea?" 

"Hey, Glenn." 

"I...I should go get Rick," Glenn says, stepping back before turning and running off. 

The happy rumbles abruptly cut off as Andrea looks to Michonne, who shrugs. They stand there for several long minutes, intermittently killing walkers that get too close, anxiously wondering how much longer it'll be. They both look up when they hear the door open and Andrea's eyes light up again at the sight of Rick coming towards them, Glenn following close behind. Rick stops in front of the gate, looking Andrea up and down before he nods once and gestures silently to Glenn, who opens the gate to let them in, which they do so quickly. As Glenn's closing and locking the gate, Rick turns to Andrea, head cocked curiously. 

"How'd you get off the farm?" he asks her. 

"I almost didn't," Andrea replies. "I tried flagging one of you guys down, but that didn't work, so I ran off into the woods. I ran out of bullets pretty quick and I probably would've gotten eaten if Michonne hadn't shown up when she did." She gives Michonne a smile before looking back at Rick. "Probably wouldn't of survived winter, either." 

Rick hums, looking at Michonne. "Why didn't you say anything?" he asks. 

"Didn't know," Michonne replies simply. 

"Wait," Andrea says suddenly, looking at Michonne. "You said Pack Alpha and Omega on our way here. Does that mean;" She looks at Rick now, eyes wide; "-you and _Daryl_? What about you and Lori?" 

Grief and anger flash over Rick's features. "Lori didn't make it," he says, swallowing roughly. "She died givin' birth." 

"I'm sorry," Andrea says softly. 

Rick grimaces. "Yeah, well," he says, clearing his throat, features hardening. "Me an' Daryl aren't Mates, but that's how it worked out. You gonna have a problem with that?" 

"Not at all," Andrea replies honestly. "I was just a little surprised; you two didn't seem to get on too good at the farm." 

"We didn't, either," Rick reminds her. 

"I made some stupid decisions at the farm," Andrea concedes, ducking her head. "I'll probably do something stupid again, but I will do my best if you'll let us in." She looks up, biting at her lower lip. "Also, you might need us whenever Woodbury comes back." 

Rick immediately bristled, lip pulling back in a sneer. "That Alpha comes back, he ain't gonna make it home alive," he growls. 

"Maybe we can work something out," Andrea says. 

"I don't see how that's going to happen," Glenn pipes up. "Guy wants us out or dead; preferably dead." 

"Can't we try?" Andrea pleads. "I'm not sure any of us wants to see more death, not right now." 

"I don't think he'll give us a choice," Rick says. 

"But you'll try?" Andrea asks, turning a wide-eyed look at Rick. 

Rick makes a face, but nods. "If he'll talk, sure." 

"Thank you," Andrea breathes, smiling.


	4. Chapter 4

In the following weeks, life at the prison took a decidedly tense turn, both inside and out. Everyone had been trying to make some effort to welcome the new additions, though it was difficult with everything that happened; honestly, it was a good thing the prison was so big. Merle had disappeared more often than not, frustrated that his efforts to do better was met with suspicion or outright hostility, growling when most everyone seemed to welcome Andrea and Michonne more easily.

_"Y'left a bad taste, back at the quarry," Daryl had told him one day, after tracking him down when the Alpha stomped off in another fit of frustration. "'S gonna take time to get over that."_

_"Yeah, an' in the meantime, I'm treated like a common criminal," Merle spat, pacing back and forth. "Ain't matter what I do, ain't matter that I try real hard to make nice, they jus' don't give a shit." He stopped and turned to face Daryl. "Hell, it ain't matter that yer puppy likes me, an' that's usually enough to soften most people."_

_"So prove it," Daryl says simply._

_"How?"_

_"How the fuck should I know?"_

Daryl had left after that, letting Merle stew in his own thoughts. It had hatched a hare-brained scheme in Merle's head and after hearing the talk with Woodbury fell through, he decided to put it into motion. Initially, he was going to give the Governor what he wanted; kidnap Michonne and deliver her right to him, but he knew that would probably only backfire on him, so he scrapped that bit. He stole some weapons from the armory and took off early one morning, leaving only a simply worded note: _Gone hunting. Be back soon._

It was cryptic and wouldn't have raised any alarm, but since discovering the missing weapons, it put people on high alert. Rick had attempted to organize a group to go after him, but Daryl shot him down, insisting he go alone to bring his brother back. Rick put up a fight, attempting to dissuade Daryl, or at least get him to bring at least one other with him, but the Omega stood firm. 

_"You know he's gone after the Governor," Rick said. "You're gonna need the back-up."_

_"Don't need any help," Daryl said. "I'll go out, get m'brother, an' come back. Ain't that hard."_

_"But what if he's still there?" Rick asked. "What if he's waiting for you to get your brother an' springs some trap?"_

_"He won't," Daryl replied, frowning. "An' I ain't some weak pussy, Rick. Back off."_

Rick backed off, but he wasn't happy about it. He gave Daryl more weapons than necessary, telling him " _just deal with it_ " while the Omega growled about overprotective Alphas, which just made Rick grin. He eventually stalked off, disappearing quickly into the woods, following the trail his brother left. He stopped short when he made it to the meeting spot, looking around the area with wide eyes; everywhere he looked, there was bodies and blood and far too many smells for the Omega to pinpoint his brother. He carefully made his way around, taking down walkers that got too close, panic slowly consuming him the longer it took to find Merle. 

In the end, he did find Merle and seeing him lying on the ground, unmoving, automatically made Daryl assume he was dead. He dropped to his knees as all the air rushed from his lungs in a gasping scream, tears blurring his vision, obscuring his view of his brother. He rubbed frantically at his eyes, digging his fingers in until spots danced in his vision, a low, keening wail coming from him. He startled bad when he heard he heard a low, pained moan come from Merle, staring at the body as the chest hitched, head rolling to face him, eyes slitting open. He felt hopeful when he saw a tired smile stretched the cracked lips. 

_"Hey, baby brother," Merle rasped. "Y'gonna sit there an' cry all day or are y'gonna help ol' Merle get back home?"_

Daryl scrambled up and proceeded to help Merle back to the prison, the trip taking much longer given the extent of Merle's injuries and the voracity of the walkers once they honed in on their scent. They were inevitably surrounded and probably would've been eaten alive had it not been for the sudden appearance of two people, effectively mowing down a path for them. 

_"Go! We got this!"_

Daryl didn't think, just simply obeyed the orders of an Alpha, refusing to dwell on it when he realized what he did. Merle tried to give him hell for it, but it fell flat in his exhausted state, leaning heavily on the Omega. They made it back to the prison, Daryl's attention torn between the increasingly labored breathing of his brother and the two people who had saved them; were they alright? Did they get bit, or eaten? He had gotten his answer hours later, when the pair showed up, bloody and a little beaten down, at the gate, inquiring about their health and safety. Daryl, who was thankfully on watch that night, had let them in, shrugging. 

_"Made it back, thanks t'you two," Daryl replied, closing the gate. "What 'bout both o'ya? Y'look like hell."_

_"We're glad you're both alright," the man said sincerely. "We could use a place to sleep for the night, though, if you don't mind overmuch."_

_"Ain't up to me," Daryl said, half-turning. "If you don't mind stayin' out here, I'll go get Rick."_

_"That's fine," the man said, body relaxing minutely._

_Daryl nodded and turned completely, disappearing through a heavy metal door, returning several minutes later with a sleepy Rick tottering behind him._

_"The hell you got me up at this hour?" Rick was grousing, rubbing at his eyes. "If it ain't an emergency, why the hell did you wake me?"_

_"Figured you'd want to know if I let two unknowns take a couple bunks for the night," Daryl shot back. "Give 'em some supplies to clean up, y'know?"_

_Rick stopped, blinking at Daryl before turning his sights to the Alpha-Beta pair standing just inside the gates. He looked back at Daryl, an unamused scowl on his face._

_"I trust your judgement," was all he said before he turned and stalked back inside, grumbling softly. Daryl turned to the pair, head tilted curiously._

_"You got names?" he asked._

_"I'm Tyreese," the man said._

_"Sasha," the woman said._

_"Daryl," Daryl said. "C'mon. I'll show you where y'can get cleaned up and bunked down; maybe find somethin' fer ya t'eat."_

_"That's real nice of you," Tyreese said._

The very next day, the Governor came knocking, most of Woodbury behind him, trying again to oust Rick's Pack. They drove around erratically, causing all manner of noise to draw in walkers before stopping at strategic points in the courtyard and began firing their guns. They turned tail quick when it became apparent that it wouldn't be an easy win, that the Pack refused to budge on their claimed territory. They sped away with the Governor following, shouting all manner of obscenities at his retreating people. In the end, nobody was lost or seriously injured and Rick extended a welcome to Sasha and Tyreese, which they both seemed to balk at. 

_"You helped defend this place, helped defend the Pack," Rick said, "an' it doesn't seem like you have anyone else or a place to call home." He gave them both a small smile. "We got more than enough room to fit you, if you'd like to stay."_

_"You sure we wouldn't be in the way?" Tyreese asked, frowning. "Or that there'd be another Alpha trying to move in?"_

_"Would you try to?" Rick asked simply._

_"Can't say that it wouldn't be a possibility," Tyreese answers honestly, glancing at Rick. "I can't promise that I won't try to find my place, or challenge you or the others, but I can promise that I'll do my best."_

_"Instinct is a hard thing to ignore," Rick agrees with a nod. "So long as you try, that's all I can ask." He then turns to Andrea, asking, "Think he'll be back?"_

_"I'm not sure," Andrea replies honestly. "I should probably go back there and check in with Milton, but I'm not sure I should."_

_"I'll go with you," Michonne says._

Andrea tried putting up a fight, but Michonne was adamant, turning and walking off while Andrea was still trying to talk her out of it. She huffed in frustration, but followed the Switch, bumping their shoulders to show she wasn't angry. They gathered some supplies for their trip before leaving on foot. They came back with a bus full of people, those that couldn't fight and that the Governor left behind, likely for good given he couldn't be found anywhere. Andrea had reported that Milton had tried to hold the Governor off, had practically saved the Pack by burning a bunch of walkers he had planned on using at the prison. Ultimately, that and his continued association with Andrea had cost him his life; getting himself stabbed and left to bleed out, to turn. 

_"I couldn't leave him like that," Andrea said, voice cracking. "I also couldn't just leave those people there on their own, to live or die. They don't know how to live outside those walls."_

_"You did good, Andrea," Rick praised, cupping her cheek gently. "We have the space, they just need t'get used to a new set of rules."_

It was a rough adjustment for most of the former Woodbury residents and the Pack, having difficulty mingling and many too used to their former homes that the dreary gloom of the prison seemed oppressive, stifling. Many appeared unhappy with the Pack arrangement and tried challenging Rick or Hershel, but were swiftly dealt with; either ending up in the Infirmary or ousted from the prison, though often both. Few had tried to challenge Daryl directly, most too terrified of the surly Omega to try anything, but a couple did try through Rick and soundly failing. Rick gleefully recounted every attempt any time Daryl was around long enough to hear them, delighting in the flush that stole over the Omega's cheeks. 

_"They know we ain't Mates, right?" Daryl inquired._

_Rick shook his head. "Figured it was easier to let them believe what they want," he replied with a shrug, "an' given how you care fer Judith an' Carl an' the way we act if you ask anyone in the Inner Circle, it's real easy to assume we are."_

_Daryl hummed softly, fussing with the bag in his hand. Rick watched him, a concerned frown on his face._

_"You goin' out again?"_

_"Have to."_

_"Because of the Governor?" Rick's brow furrowed when Daryl nodded sharply. "You know it doesn't have to just be you, or Michonne. We can set up patrols so you an' her don't have to always be out there." He gives Daryl a subtle once-over. "You need the rest."_

_"'M fine," Daryl scoffs, putting the bag down to grab some items, tossing them down next to the bag._

_"Judy misses you," Rick tries, watching the way Daryl flinches minutely. "Hell, we all miss you, but I think she misses you most."_

_"Haven't heard her shriekin' yet," Daryl says, trying to deflect._

_"You haven't been here at night," Rick says ruefully. "You remember when we first had her? The nights where no one got any sleep cuz she couldn't and therefore, we all must be awake with her?" He grins lightly. "I ain't here t'guilt you, Daryl, but if it works, it works."_

_"She still eatin'?" Daryl asks, attempting to appear disinterested and failing._

_"Honestly, I think she likes it better from the source," Rick replies, grin widening when Daryl flushes darkly. "She'll eat, but she sure lets you know she ain't happy about it. I think she gets it from you." He sobers then. "If goin' out to try an' find the Governor is your way of tryin' to protect her, to protect the Pack, I'm not sure it's workin'. We need you here, protecting the home front."_

_"I ain't some House Omega," Daryl snaps._

_"That's not what I meant and you know it," Rick snaps back._

_Daryl deflates then, looking down at his bag and assortment of supplies, up at Rick, then back down. He gathers the supplies and puts them in the bag, zipping it tight and putting it on._

_"I'll be back next week," he says and brushes past Rick, ignoring the Alpha's calls to try and bring him back._

Daryl was gone three weeks, for which Rick was frustrated, but grateful for, especially since two weeks after the Omega left, a flu outbreak swept through the prison. It caused a fair bit of chaos, people panicking when it was discovered how deadly it was, simmering into a low-grade terror the longer it went on and the more people succumbed. Rick sent a group out to look for medicine, putting a Beta named Bob in charge given his background as a combat medic and his knowledge of a medical school not too far from the prison. They had run into Daryl halfway to the school and the Omega had bullied his way into helping after hearing what was going on back home. They ran into trouble not long after, almost crashing into a massive herd of walkers, fleeing into the woods when the car was overrun, making the rest of the way on foot. It took much longer than planned, but it couldn't be helped, not when there was a herd on their heels and being forced to cut through the woods. They eventually made it to the school and got the medicine; finding a big enough vehicle and driving it back to the prison, where they were greeted with panic. 

Rick cornered Daryl once things were dealt with and settled, crowding in close, displeasure radiating off him in waves. 

_"Where were you?" Ricks asks._

_"What's it to you?" Daryl asks back, discomfort and a subtle threat of_ warning-away _coming off him._

_"You said one week," Rick says, crowding closer despite Daryl's warning growl. "It's been three."_

_"Yeah, an' the whole damn area's surrounded by herds," Daryl scoffs. "Ain't no surprise I got held up."_

_"Three weeks," Rick mumbles again, dropping his head onto Daryl's shoulder and nuzzling, ignore the way Daryl flinches. "Missed you."_

_"I always come back," Daryl huffs, bringing a hand up to pet Rick's hair, lips quirking when Rick purrs, feeling only a little embarrassed when he also starts purring, so he tries for some levity. "This is why people think we're Mates, Grimes. Gettin' all cuddly an' shit and stinkin' up the place."_

_"I like the way we smell," Rick says, mockingly affronted as he pulls his face away from Daryl's shoulder to frown at the Omega. "'S a good smell."_

_"Smells like a damn candy shop," Daryl gripes, gently tugging at Rick's hair, hating the way his spine tingles when Rick rumbles happily. "Y'best not start gettin' too friendly. Y'know I ain't interested."_

_"Says you," Rick mumbles petulantly, but he pulls away from Daryl, visibly shaking himself._

_"It's called compatibility, asshole," Daryl says, letting his hand drop. "You know that better 'n I do."_

_Rick bobs his head. "True," he hums, "but instinct's hard t'ignore." He looks up at Daryl. "You are my Omega, after all."_

_"Ain't nobodies Omega," Daryl snaps at him and forcefully pushes past Rick, letting his unhappiness shroud him as he wanders into the prison proper._

With tensions running a little high between Daryl and Rick and the lingering fear from the outbreak, it seemed now was the perfect time for the universe to throw them something else. The Governor finally reappeared, with more people and a tank, plus Michonne and Hershel. Wearily, Rick made his way down the courtyard, tried negotiating with the Governor, with the people he brought with him, to no avail. They were nigh on determined to have what Rick had, what he and his Pack had done to build the prison into what it is now and what it could be in the future. The Governor's face darkened with every word, every plea Rick spoke, eventually hopping down from the tank, unsheathing Michonne's sword, and placing it at Hershel's neck. 

_"Leave now, or your Elder dies," the Governor says._

_"We can do this together," Rick pleads, staring at Hershel with wide, scared eyes. "We can share the prison, make it home for all of us." He swallows thickly, looking at the Governor. "What do you say?"_

_The Governor glares at Rick for several long, tense seconds before he sneers._

_"No."_

_He swings the sword up, then down, slicing into Hershel's neck, blood spraying in a wide arc. Rick screams, hearing the echo from behind the second gate, bringing up his gun and firing erratically as he runs for cover._

In the ensuing fight, the prison falls and the Pack scatters in every direction, hating to loose their home and one another, but having no other choice. Daryl had looked around in a panic before being forced away by Beth, clinging to her hand as they ran from the ruins of their home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, she's done. I'm not sure how I'm going to do the next installments (one-shots or chapters) or even when, but I'm sure I'll figure something out. For anyone that's been reading this mess of a series, I thank you and hope you like what I have in mind for the future. :)


End file.
